title: Use of an orthovoltage X-ray treatment unit as a radiation research system in a small-animal cancer model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We explore the use of a clinical orthovoltage X-ray treatment unit as a small-animal radiation therapy system in a tumoral model of cervical cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nude mice were subcutaneously inoculated with 5 x 106 HeLa cells in both lower limbs. When tumor volume approximated 200 mm3 treatment was initiated. Animals received four 2 mg/kg intraperitoneal cycles (1/week) of cisplatin and/or 6.25 mg/kg of gemcitabine, concomitant with radiotherapy. Tumors were exposed to 2.5 Gy/day nominal surface doses (20 days) of 150 kV X-rays. Lead collimators with circular apertures (0.5 to 1.5 cm diameter) were manufactured and mounted on the applicator cone to restrict the X-ray beam onto tumors. X-ray penetration and conformality were evaluated by measuring dose at the surface and behind the tumor lobe by using HS GafChromic film. Relative changes in tumor volume (RTV) and a clonogenic assay were used to evaluate the therapeutic response of the tumor, and relative weight loss was used to assess toxicity of the treatments.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No measurable dose was delivered outside of the collimator apertures. The analysis suggests that dose inhomogeneities in the tumor reach up to +/- 11.5% around the mean tumor dose value, which was estimated as 2.2 Gy/day. Evaluation of the RTV showed a significant reduction of the tumor volume as consequence of the chemoradiotherapy treatment; results also show that toxicity was well tolerated by the animals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results and procedures described in the present work have shown the usefulness and convenience of the orthovoltage X-ray system for animal model radiotherapy protocols.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Física, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), México D,F, 04510, Mexico. medina@fisica.unam.mx
authors.forename: Luis-Alberto
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Medina
authors.forename: Blanca-Ivone
authors.initials: BI
authors.lastname: Herrera-Penilla
authors.forename: Mario-Alberto
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Castro-Morales
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: García-López
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jurado
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pérez-Cárdenas
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chanona-Vilchis
authors.forename: María-Ester
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Brandan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays